BIOCOMPATIBILITY TESTING OF A BOVINE HYDROXYAPATITE CERAMIC MATERIAL WITH THE USE OF OSTEO-PROGENITOR CELLS ISOLATED FROM HUMAN BONE-MARROW

Bioactive materials such as hydroxyapatite ceramics are known to show a stable interfacial bond with tissues. The objective of this study wa s to investigate the behaviour of human bone differentiated cells isol ated from bone marrow on the surface of a hydroxyapatite ceramic obtai ned from bovine spongiosa. Scanning electron microscopy and DNA synthe sis analysis assessed by [H-3]-thymidine incorporation showed cell col onization of the whole material. Immunological studies using monoclona l antibodies to osteocalcin and osteonectin and cytochemical analysis of alkaline phosphatase activity indicated that these cells did not lo se their osteoblastic phenotype after 28 days of culture. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the in vitro interface between the material a nd human cells, which is reproduced in vivo.